Fixed format video data display employing crossed-line pattern format delineation

ABSTRACT

Time-controlled means independent of displayed stored character data for generating, as part of a raster-scan display, a pattern of crossed lines having predetermined locations which delineate individual areas of a standardized fixed format as in the display of a bowling score format.

United States Patent [1 1 Ross [ Dec. 31, 1974 I FIXED FORMAT VIDEO DATADISPLAY EMPLOYING CROSSED-LINE PATTERN FORMAT DELINEATION PrimaryExaminer-Donald J. Yusko [75] Inventor: Walter Lee Ross, Simi, Calif. I

0 Assistant Examiner-Marshall M. Curtis I Asslgneei RCA Corporatlon, NewYork, Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Edward J. Norton; George 22 Filed: June22, 1973 Sehgsohn [21] Appl. No.1 372,646

[57] ABSTRACT 340/324 273/54 Time-controlled means independent ofdisplayed stored character data for generating, as part of a rast- L IField of Search 2h3/ erscan display, a pattern of crossed lines havingpredetermined locations which delineate individual areas ReferencesCited ggvalisrfgnsczrrtirigtrimfliied format as in the display of aUNITED STATES PATENTS 3,404,309 10/1968 Massell et a]. 340/324 AD 10Claims, 4 Drawing Figures 302 READOUT CONTROL? T|M|NG CONTROL MEANS 300H 8 V 30 SYNC DIGITAL DATA CROSSED LINE MEMORY PATTERN GEN,

@READOUT CONTROL VIDEO 304 DISPLAY DEVICE DIGITAL 308 To vmro CONVERTERSUMMER COMPOSITE VIDEO FIXED FORMAT VIDEO DATA DISPLAY EMPLOYINGCROSSED-LINE PATTERN FORMAT DELINEATION This invention relates to araster-scan display system for, displaying data in a standardized fixedformat and, more particularly, to such a system which is suitable fordisplaying game-score or other similar game information in such astandardized fixed format.

Examples of such standardized fixed formats are the arrangements of thenine boxes in tic-tac-toe, a base ball box score, and a bowling scoresheet. In all these cases, the display is divided into a plurality ofseparate regions in accordance with the standardized fixed format anddifferent respective ones of predetermined items of variable data aredisplayed within the region with which that item of data corresponds.Normally, these different regions are delineated by a given pattern oflines determined solely by the standardized fixed format. Thus, thisgiven pattern of lines is independent of the variable data to bepresented within the spatial regions delineated by the given pattern oflines.

Automatic game scoring systems have been developed in which the gamescore information is displayed on a video display device, such as theface of a cathode ray tube. One such system, directed to the game ofbowling, is disclosed in US. Pat. No. 3,589,725, issued to RalphTownsend et al. on June 29, 1971. Although, in this patent, bowling gamescore information is in the conventional standardized format for bowling(the score for each of a plurality of bowlers being presented in adifferent row of the display with the bowlers name to the left and thepinfall and score information for each of the ten frames being presentedto the right of the bowlers name), only the pinfall and game scoreinformation portion of the format is presented on the face of the videodisplay device. The names of the players are provided on labels each ofwhich is held by an appropriately located holder. More important, nopattern of lines is employed in the video display of this prior artsystem to delineate each of the ten frames for each of the variousbowlers.

An improved automatic bowling score system has been developed in whichthe entire standardized bowling format, including both the bowlers namesand the frame information, is displayed on the video display device.More important, from the point of view of the present invention, acrossed-line pattern delineating the various name regions and frameregions of the standardized bowling format is also displayed on thevideo display device.

Although this new automatic bowling score system is employed herein toillustrate the present invention, it should be understood that thepresent invention may be employed with equal benefit in the display ofgamescore or other similar information in any type of game employing astandardized fixed format.

Briefly, the present invention is directed to a raster scan data displaysystem incorporating storage means, and readout means coupled to thestorage means for use in electronically displaying stored game-score orother similar data of a given kind of game on a video signal displaydevice while the game is progressing. Readout means causes the scoreddata to be displayed in a standardized fixed format on the displaydevice in which any of separate given portions of the data iscompartmentalized within its own individual area of the display. Inaccordance with the present invention, the display system furtherincludes time-controlled means independent of the storage means and anyof the data for generating as part of the raster-scan display a patternof crossed lines having predetermined locations with respect to eachother which delineate each of the individual areas of the standardizedfixed format.

The features and advantages of the present invention will become moreapparent from the following detailed description taken together with theaccompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of an automatic bowling scoringsystem which incorporates the present invention; I

FIG. 2 shows the standardized fixed format of the bowling score displaytogether with the displayed data of a typical bowling game;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the raster-scan display system whichincorporates the present invention, and

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the crossed-line patterngenerator of FIG. 3.

As shown in FIG. 1, each lane of a bowling alley is provided with itsown pinfall sensor and foul detector 102. Each group of four bowlinglanes is provided with a single pinfall sensor logic means 104, whichreceives sensed pinfall information from the pinfall sensor 100 of eachof the four lanes with which it is associated.

Each lane pair has a players-console 106 associated therewith.Players-console 106 includes manually operated means, such as akeyboard, thumbwheels and pushbuttons, for the players to enterappropriate data and other information into the system. In addition, thefoul detector 102 of each of the lanes with which a players-console 106is associated provides console 106 with foul information and pinfallcenter logic 104 provides each players-console 106 with coded pinfalldata of each of the two lanes with which that console 106 is associated.All the data and information available at each players-console 106 isforwarded to a single central processor 108, which can handle as many as32 lanes. Associated with central processor 108 is proprietor-console110 through which the propreitor can exercise overall control of thelanes.

Central processor 108 includes time control means, a specialpurposecomputer, data storage means which may comprise a RAM, adigital-to-video converter which may comprise a ROM and, in accordancewith the present invention a crossed-line pattern generator associatedwith the time control means thereof.

Output means associated with central processor 108 include a singleprinter-console 112, a single proprietor-display 114 and aplayers'display 116 for each line pair. These displays are modifiedtelevision monitors employing a raster scan. The present invention isprimarily concerned with the generation of the playersdisplay.

In operation, the players employ the manually operated means at aplayers-console to enter each of their respective names. This data isforwarded to central processor 108 and stored at appropriate addressesof the RAM data storage means. As the game progresses, game score datais forwarded to central processor 108 and, after appropriatearithmetical processing, is stored for display in appropriate addressesof the RAM. This game score data includes pinfall information sensed bypinfall sensor 100, foul information detected by foul detector 102 and,in case of error or otherwise, data which may be manually entered by theplayer with the manual data entry means of players-console 106.

The proprietor, with his console 110, may cause a permanent copy of anybowling score to be printed out on printer 112 or may display varioustypes of data on proprietors display 114. However, the embodiment of thepresent invention is mainly directed to the means for providing the typeof bowling-score display shown in FIG. 2 on the players display 116, byemploying the appropriate stored data in central processor 108. Becausethe present invention is not directed to the overall automaticbowling-scoring system, but only to the display portion thereof, theoverall automatic bowlingscoring system will not be discussed in anyfurther detail.

Referring now to FIG. 3, there is shown in block diagram a displaysystem incorporated in the overall automatic bowling system of FIG. 1for providing the stanrepresented by the display of FIG. 2, aconventional data display terminal is not capable of deriving thedisplay l'ormat shown in FIG. 2.

Specifically, the display format includes the predetermined patterndefined by the crossed vertical and hori zontal lines in FIG. 2. Thispattern is fixed and is independent of the display character data whichdefines the name of each player to the left of each row and scoreinformation in each of the ten frame areas to the right of player's namein each row. As is known, the score information includes both thecumulative frame score, which is presented in the lower line of eachframe area, and pinfall information about that frame, which is presentedin the upper line of that frame area. Both the upper line and lower lineof each frame area may include up to three adjacent horizontalcharacters situated in three contiguous character spacesfThe horizontaldimension of each character space within the frame area is the same,regardless whether the character is an upper-line character or alower-line character. However, as shown in FIG. 2, the verticaldimension of a lower-line character in each frame area is larger thanthe vertical dimension of an upper-line character. An important featureof the preferred embodiment of the present invention is that the widthof each of the crossed lines of the pattern is extrinsic from anycharacter space. Thus, while adjacent character spaces within any frameare contiguous of each other, adjacent character spaces within twosuccessive frames are separated from each other by the width of theintervening line of the line pattern. This makes for an irregularspacing between characters, rather than the regular spacing betweencharacters provided by the conventional raster-scan data displayterminal. The display system of FIG. 3, employing a crossed-line patterngenerator of the type shown in detail in FIG. 4, provides the type offixed format display shown in FIG. 2.

More specifically, digital data memory 300, which may be the RAM storagemeans referred to in the discussion of FIG. 1, has digital (binary)words stored at appropriate addresses thereof, each of which manifeststhe identity of the particular character, if any, to be displayed ineach character space of the fixed format.

Timing control means 302 generates a first portion of readout controlsignals which are applied both to digital data memory 300 anddigital-to-video converter 304.

Timing control means 302 also applies timing signals to crossed-linepattern generator 306. As will be described in more detail below,pattern generator 306 operating under the sole control of timing controlmeans 302, generates a second portion of readout control signals whichare applied to both digital data memory 300 and digital-to-videoconverter 304.

In response to both the first and second portions of readout controlsignals applied thereto, digital data memory 300 reads out the digitalword sequentially and applies each of them as an input todigital-to-video converter 304. Converter 304 which may include areadonly memory addressed by the digital word from digital memory 300,as well as a video shift register coupled to the output of the read onlymemory, operates under the control of both portions of readout controlsignals supplied thereto generate as an output therefrom a video signalmanifesting the characters to be displayed by a video display deviceemploying a raster scan. Since digital data memory 300 anddigital-to-video converter 304 may be similar to those employed byconventional data display terminals, they will not be discussed infurther detail herein.

The output of converter 304 is applied as a first input to summer 308.Summer 308 also has horizontal and vertical sync signals applied as aninput thereto, which is conventional. However, in addition, summer 308has the pattern output from crossed-line pattern generator 306 appliedas an input thereto. As described, crossedline pattern generator 308operates under the sole control of timing control means 302 and isindependent of digital data memory 300 and any of the data storedtherein.

Video display device 310, which is a raster scan television monitornormally employing a cathode ray tube display, as is conventional,includes a sync separator and horizontal and vertical generatingcircuitry responsive to the horizontal and vertical sync portion of thecomposite video signal applied thereto for providing horizontal'andvertical scanning. Further, the display is intensity modulated by thecomposite video signal appearing at the output of summer 306. Forreasons which have nothing to do with the present invention, the videodisplay device 310 employed in the automatic bowling system of FIG. 1 ismodified with respect to a conventional TV monitor only to the extentthat the scanning yoke is rotated so that the line scan is in thevertical direction, rather than the horizontal as is conventional, andthe field scan is in the horizontal direction, rather than in thevertical as is conventional. However, just as in NTSC television thedisplay frame consists of two interlaced fields of 262.5 scan linesapiece, or a total of 525 scan lines per frame.

Referring now to FIG. 4, there is shown a preferred embodiment ofcrossed-line pattern generator 308. Timing control means 302 applies avertical format line enable, scan line pulses, horizontal format lineenable, bit k of each repetitive cycle of 36 bits, and bit (k 2) of eachof the 36 bit cycles.

Scan line pulses, which occur sequentially at the scan line rate, areapplied as an input to modulo 5 or 6 cyclic counting means 400. Everytime that counting means 400 recycles, by being reset to count 1, itproduces an output pulse which is applied as an input to modulo 3 cycliccounting means 402. Whether counting means 400 operates as a modulo 5 oras a modulo 6 counting means is determined by the binary value of thesignal then present on the modulo 5-switching control input thereto,which is obtained from the third stage of cyclic counting means 402. Inparticular, counting means 400 will recycle in response to every fifthscan line pulse applied thereto when the count registered by countingmeans 402 is either one or two; i.e., binary value of the signal onmodulo 5-6 switching control is ZERO. However, cyclic means 400 does notreset until the sixth successive scan line pulse is applied thereto whenthe count registered by counting means is three (i.e., the binary valueof the signal on modulo 5-6 switching control is ONE). From theforegoing, it will be seen that the counting cycle of counting means 400is 5, 5, 6, 5, 5,6,5,5,6....

Thus, counting means 400 provides an output from its sixth stage onlyduring the occurrence of a single scan line pulse, which occurs everysixteen consecutive scan line pulses, which occurs only at the end ofevery third cycle of counting means 400. The output from each of thefirst five stages of counting means 400 constitute the second portion ofthe readout control, which is derived from crossed-line patterngenerator 306.

The output of the sixth stage of counting means 400 is applied as afirst input to AND gate 404 and the vertical format line enable fromtiming control means 302 is applied as a second input to and gate 404.The output from and gate 404 is applied as a first input to or gate Bitk, a predetermined ordinal l of each cycle of 36 consecutive bits, fromtiming control means 302 is applied as a first input to and gate 408 andhorizontal format line enable from timing control means 302 is appliedas a second input to and gate 408. The output from and gate 408 isapplied as a set input to flip-flop 410 and (k 2) of each cycle of 36consecutive bits is applied as a reset input to flip-flop 410. Theoutput from flip-flop 410 is applied as a second input to or gate 406.The output from or gate 406 is applied as an input to summer 308, asshown in FIG. 3.

The operation of the display system of FIG. 3, including thecrossed-line pattern generator of FIG. 4, for producing the bowlingscore format of FIG. 2 will now be described.

As mentioned earlier, the raster scan display producing the bowlingscore format shown in FIG. 2 employs vertical scan lines. Each scan lineis composed of a fixed number of bits, a bit corresponding to verticalsides of the smallest resolvable picture element. In accordance with thebowling score format, the height of each lower line character, used forthe bowlerss names and the bowling score, is 14 bits. The height of eachupper line character, used for the pinfall data, is 10 bits. Thevertical dimension of each horizontal line of the crossed-line patternis 2 bits. The total number of bits for each player row, including asingle one of the horizontal pattern lines, is 36 bits. Thus, thevertical spacing separataing characters have an overall value of 10bits, made up of two bits below a lower-line character, 6 bits betweenlower-line and upper-line characters and 2 bits above upper-linecharacter.

The size of the smallest resolvable picture element in the horizontaldirection is determined by the width of each vertical scan line. Eachcharacter space of both upper and lower lines has a horizontal dimensionof 10 scan lines, the first five of which occur during a first of twointerlaced fields and the other five of which occur during the second ofthe two interlaced fields. The horizontal dimension of each displaycharacter is composed of four vertical scan lines for each of the twointerlaced fields leaving a single vertical scan line for each of thetwo interlaced fields corresponding to the spacing between twohorizontally adjacent characters which are not separated by a verticalpattern line. Each pattern line itself is composed of a single verticalscan line for each of the two interlaced fields, which is addition andextrinsic from the vertical scan lines forming the character spaces.Thus, the horizontal positioning of the character spaces, composing theupper and lower lines of each row is not regular.

Returning to FIG. 3, the first portion of the readout control applieddirectly from timing control means 302 to digital data memory 300 anddigital-to-video converter 304 relates to the cyclic 36 bits within eachvertical scan line which controls the vertical format of the display.Crossed-line pattern generator 306, which is described in more detailbelow, derives a second portion of readout control. This second portionis applied to digital data memory 300 and digital-to-video converter 304to control the horizontal format of the display in a manner whichprovides the aforementioned irregular horizontal spacing of characterspaces in each row of the display. As far as the present invention isconcerned, the interval operation of the digital data memory 300 anddigital-to-video converter 304 for deriving, under readout control, thevideo signal of the stored digital data in memory 300 for raster-scandisplay, may be the same as that conventionally employed in raster scandata display terminals.

As described above, counting means 400 and 402 operate to provide twosuccessive count cycles of five scan lines followed by a cycle of 6 scanlines from counting means 400, after which the process is repeated. Thesecond portion of the readout control, which is derived from the first 5stages of counting means 400, which designate the vertical scan lines ofthe character space occurring during one field, provide three contiguouscharacter spaces, as required. However, the occurrence of the 6" countbetween the 5 count of a third-successive cycle and the 1 count of thenext cycle provides for the irregular horizontal spacing of characterspaces, referred to above.

During each vertical line scan, the vertical format line enable isselectively present or absent in accordance with the position in thedisplay in the upper bowling team and the lower bowling team,respectively. In particular, the vertical format line enable is absentduring the portion of each vertical scan line below the lower-displayedteam, the portion between the lower and upper displayed teams, theportion above the upper-displayed team shown in FIG. 2, and during thescan of the players-name section of the displayed field. Otherwise, itis present. During the presence of the vertical format line enable forthat single one of each sixteen consecutive vertical scan lines whichcorrespond with a binary ONE being present on the sixth stage ofcounting means 400, AND gate 404 applies an output through OR gate 406to summer 308. This output, when applied to video display device 310,results in the vertical pattern line being displayed in its properformat position.

The displayed width of each vertical pattern line is equal to twice thewidth of a vertical scan line, because the vertical pattern line iscomposed of two contiguous vertical scan lines which individually occurduring separate ones of the two interlaced fields.

The horizontal format line enable is present except when the portion ofa field to the left or the right of the location of the displayed formatis being scanned. As long as horizontal line enable is present,flip-flop 410 is set in response to the occurrence of the predeterminedone of each 36 consecutive bits and is then reset two bits thereafter.Thus, flip-flop 410 cyclically produces an output having a durationequal to twice that of a bit period with a length of a cycle being to 36bit periods. The output from flip-flop 410, after passing through gate406 and summer 308 to video display device 310, results in horizontalpattern lines being displayed in the format shown in FIG. 2.

What is claimed is:

1. In a raster-scan data display system incorporating storage means, andreadout means coupled to said storage means for use in electronicallyrepetitively generating successive raster-scanned fields displayingstored game-score or other similar data of a given kind of game on avideo-signal display device while the game is progressing, said readoutmeans causing said score data to be displayed in a standardized fixedformat of said display device in which any of separate given portions ofsaid data is compartmentalized within its own individual area of saiddisplay; the improvement wherein said readout means includestime-controlled means independent of said storage means and any of saiddata for generating as part of said successive raster-scanned fields apattern of crossed lines having predetermined locations with respect toeach other which delineate each of said individual areas of saidstandardized fixed format.

2. The system defined in claim 1 wherein each of said given portions ofsaid data includes characters, wherein said storage means and saidreadout means are arranged to display the respective characters of anyof said given portions within different ones of a number of separatecontiguous character spaces into which the entire area of that givenportion is divided, and wherein said time-controlled means is arrangedto situate said predetermined locations of said pattern of crossed lineswholly outside of any of said character spaces, whereby adjacentcharacter spaces of adjacent areas are not contiguous with each otherbut are separated by the display-width of a line of said pattern.

3. The system'defined in claim 1, wherein said given kind of game isbowling and said standardized fixed format is that of a bowling scoresheet; and wherein said time-controlled means is arranged to provide apattern display of crossed lines which includes a set of spacedhorizontal lines defining separate horizontal regions respectively forthe score of each one of a group of players and a set of spaced verticallines defining a playername region toward the left of the display andten adjacent frame regions to the right of said player name region,whereby the given compartment corresponding to any single frame of anysingle player delineated by said crossed horizontal and vertical linesconstitutes one of said individual areas.

4. The system defined in claim 3, wherein said storage means and saidreadout means are arranged to display pinfall data within an upper rowof each horizontal region and to display score data within a lower rowof each horizontal region which is contiguous with said upper rowthereof, the upper row of any given compartment being divided into agiven plurality of identically-sized separate contiguous characterspaces within any one of which a single character of pinfall data may bedisplayed, the lower row of any given compartment being divided into agiven plurality of identically-sized separate contiguous characterspaces within any one of which a single character of score data may bedisplayed, and wherein said time-controlled means is arranged to controlthe respective positions of said character spaces in said display and tosituate said vertical and horizontal lines wholly outside of anycharacter space, whereby adjacent character spaces of adjacent givencompartments are separated by the display-width of a line of saidpattern.

5. The system defined in claim 4, wherein said given plurality of thecharacter spaces of both said upper and lower rows is three.

6. The system defined in claim 4, wherein the direction of a raster scanline is parallel to one of said horizontal lines or said vertical lines.

7. The system defined in claim 4, wherein the direction of a raster scanline is parallel to said vertical lines.

8. The system defined in claim 4, wherein a first given number of rasterscan lines during each display field correspond with any characterspace, and wherein said time controlled means includes first cycliccounting means for counting raster scan lines and second cyclic countingmeans coupled to said first counting means for counting cycles of saidfirst counting means, said first counting means having a count capacityequal to said first given number in a first mode thereof and equal to asecond given number greater than said first given number in a secondmode thereof, said second counting means having a count capacity equalto the number of contiguous character spaces aligned in a directionnormal to a raster scan line which are situated within a givencompartment, said second counting means being further coupled to saidfirst counting means for maintaining said first counting means in itsfirst mode when said second counting means manifests a count less thanits count capacity and for maintaining said first counting means in itssecond mode when said second counting means manifests a count equal toits capacity, and means coupled to said first counting means forcontrolling the position of a character space in response to said firstcounting means manifesting any count up to and including said firstgiven number and for causing a raster scan line to be displayed on saiddisplay device in response to said first counting means manifesting acount greater than said first given number, whereby displayed rasterlines constitute one of said sets of crossed lines of said pattern.

9. The system defined in claim 8, wherein said raster scan lines arevertical, and said given plurality of contiguous character spaces ofboth said upper and lower rows is equal to said number of contiguouscharacter spaces aligned in a direction normal to a raster scan.

10. The system defined in claim 9, wherein said raster scan displayconsists of two interlaced fields.

1. In a raster-scan data display system incorporating storage means, andreadout means coupled to said storage means for use in electronicallyrepetitively generating successive raster-scanned fields displayingstored game-score or other similar data of a given kind of game on avideo-signal display device while the game is progressing, said readoutmeans causing said score data to be displayed in a standardized fixedformat of said display device in which any of separate given portions ofsaid data is compartmentalized within its own individual area of saiddisplay; the improvement wherein said readout means includestimecontrolled means independent of said storage means and any of saiddata for generating as part of said successive rasterscanned fields apattern of crossed lines having predetermined locations with respect toeach other which delineate each of said individual areas of saidstandardized fixed format.
 2. The system defined in claim 1, whereineach of said given portions of said data includes characters, whereinsaid storage means and said readout means are arranged to displAy therespective characters of any of said given portions within differentones of a number of separate contiguous character spaces into which theentire area of that given portion is divided, and wherein saidtime-controlled means is arranged to situate said predeterminedlocations of said pattern of crossed lines wholly outside of any of saidcharacter spaces, whereby adjacent character spaces of adjacent areasare not contiguous with each other but are separated by thedisplay-width of a line of said pattern.
 3. The system defined in claim1, wherein said given kind of game is bowling and said standardizedfixed format is that of a bowling score sheet; and wherein saidtime-controlled means is arranged to provide a pattern display ofcrossed lines which includes a set of spaced horizontal lines definingseparate horizontal regions respectively for the score of each one of agroup of players and a set of spaced vertical lines defining aplayer-name region toward the left of the display and ten adjacent frameregions to the right of said player name region, whereby the givencompartment corresponding to any single frame of any single playerdelineated by said crossed horizontal and vertical lines constitutes oneof said individual areas.
 4. The system defined in claim 3, wherein saidstorage means and said readout means are arranged to display pinfalldata within an upper row of each horizontal region and to display scoredata within a lower row of each horizontal region which is contiguouswith said upper row thereof, the upper row of any given compartmentbeing divided into a given plurality of identically-sized separatecontiguous character spaces within any one of which a single characterof pinfall data may be displayed, the lower row of any given compartmentbeing divided into a given plurality of identically-sized separatecontiguous character spaces within any one of which a single characterof score data may be displayed, and wherein said time-controlled meansis arranged to control the respective positions of said character spacesin said display and to situate said vertical and horizontal lines whollyoutside of any character space, whereby adjacent character spaces ofadjacent given compartments are separated by the display-width of a lineof said pattern.
 5. The system defined in claim 4, wherein said givenplurality of the character spaces of both said upper and lower rows isthree.
 6. The system defined in claim 4, wherein the direction of araster scan line is parallel to one of said horizontal lines or saidvertical lines.
 7. The system defined in claim 4, wherein the directionof a raster scan line is parallel to said vertical lines.
 8. The systemdefined in claim 4, wherein a first given number of raster scan linesduring each display field correspond with any character space, andwherein said time controlled means includes first cyclic counting meansfor counting raster scan lines and second cyclic counting means coupledto said first counting means for counting cycles of said first countingmeans, said first counting means having a count capacity equal to saidfirst given number in a first mode thereof and equal to a second givennumber greater than said first given number in a second mode thereof,said second counting means having a count capacity equal to the numberof contiguous character spaces aligned in a direction normal to a rasterscan line which are situated within a given compartment, said secondcounting means being further coupled to said first counting means formaintaining said first counting means in its first mode when said secondcounting means manifests a count less than its count capacity and formaintaining said first counting means in its second mode when saidsecond counting means manifests a count equal to its capacity, and meanscoupled to said first counting means for controlling the position of acharacter space in response to said first counting means manifesting anycount up to and including said first givEn number and for causing araster scan line to be displayed on said display device in response tosaid first counting means manifesting a count greater than said firstgiven number, whereby displayed raster lines constitute one of said setsof crossed lines of said pattern.
 9. The system defined in claim 8,wherein said raster scan lines are vertical, and said given plurality ofcontiguous character spaces of both said upper and lower rows is equalto said number of contiguous character spaces aligned in a directionnormal to a raster scan.
 10. The system defined in claim 9, wherein saidraster scan display consists of two interlaced fields.